Chapter Seven
Nick apporached the mochi cautiously. He took the mallet from my dad and prepared to swing it. As soon as he raised it, he let it slowly drop.
"I can't do this," said Nick, looking at me, "What if I drop it on my foot or something."
"You're not going to drop it on your foot," I said, "Just aim."
"That's not a strong point of his," said Brian.
I gave Brian a look. "Very encouraging," I said.
"Thanks," he smiled.
I shook my head and turned back to Nick. "Just try it," I said.
"Okay," Nick said, "Once." He stepped back up to the mochi and raised the mallet once again. This time, he let it drop right in the center of the mound of steaming rice.
"See," I said, "I told you that you could do it."
"Want to try it again?" Dad asked Nick.
"Um...no," he said, handing the mallet to Brian, "It's Bri's turn."
"Thanks a lot," said Brian.
We all laughed as Brian slowly approched the mochi. He hesitated for a moment and then looked at Nick. "If you could do it," he said, "I can do this too."
"Exactly," said Nick, "You're closer to the ground than I am."
"I'm gonna hit you on head with this thing if you don't be quiet," Brian jokingly threatened.
"Violence, violence," I said, "Can't you just solve things with words?"
"Ha ha," said Brian.
"Just hit the mochi," Nick told him.
"Bri," said LeighAnne, "Don't hurt yourself."
"I think I'll move back a little," I said, going to the back of the garage.
"Me too," said Nick, joining me.
"You should be back over there," I said to him.
"Not with the way Brian's swinging that thing around," said Nick.
I laughed. "That's a good point."
"I'd rather stay here with you anyway," Nick said.
I didn't know how to respond to that. "I'll be back," I said.
I ran over to where Sharon was.
"So?" she asked, "Any sparks yet?"
"I don't know," I said, "I like him and everything, but I don't know if I want to be in a relationship right now."
"Yes, you do," said Sharon, "Just jump in, feet first. Don't look where you're jumping."
"Sharon!" I said.
"You better do it before he gets a better offer," Sharon said, "I mean, there are plenty of girls around here."
"Oh, shut up," I said.
"Then I'll go talk to him," said Sharon.
She stood up and started walking towards Nick.
"Sharon!" I called after her, "Don't you dare!"
But it was too late. She had sat down next to Nick at the picnic table and was talking to him. There was nothing I could do.
"What's Sharon talking to Nick about?" Angel asked me.
"Something," I said, "Something she isn't supposed to be talking to him about."
"Do you want me to go and interrupt them?" asked Angel.
"No," I said, "That's okay. I don't think she can do any harm."
But how wrong I was. Sharon came back about ten minutes later with a big smile on her face. "I need to talk to you," she said, grabbing my arm.
Sharon pulled me under the house and closed the door. "He likes you," she said, "But I think there's a problem. I don't know what it is, but he said that he just can't ask you out right now. It's not because he's dating someone, it's something else."
"Whatever," I said, "I think you've caused enough trouble today."
"I'm not causing trouble," said Sharon.
"Yes, you are," I said, "I wasn't even going to attempt to go out with him."
"You know you wanted to," Sharon said.
"That's besides the point," I said, "I've wanted to since we were in the seventh grade, but there was nothing I could do about it."
"Well," said Sharon, "Here's your chance."
"Oh, shut up," I said, "He doesn't want to go out with me. If he does, then why hasn't he asked already?"
"I don't know," Sharon said, "Maybe he's shy."
"Maybe," I said.
"Then go and ask him," said Sharon.
"Forget it," I said, "He can just make the first move. And if he doesn't, then it won't kill me."
"Well, until you realize that you were so close and didn't take the chance," said Sharon.
"You know what, ha?" I said, "Shut up."
"I just don't to hear you regret it after they leave and you never took the chance to go out with Nick Carter."
I never thought about it that way. They were going to leave a few days after New Years and I would probably never see Nick again.
"Maybe you're right," I said.
"Of course I'm right," said Sharon.
"But not tonight," I said, "Maybe tomorrow."
"You're hopeless," Sharon said.
"And you only noticed this now?" I joked.
"Just go and talk to the guy," said Sharon, "Don't make me have to go and get Jeff to talk to him for you. You know what kind of big mouth he has."
"Okay, okay," I said, "I'm going. Geeze." I got up and walked over to where Nick was still sitting.
"Hey," I said, sitting down next to him.
"Hey," said Nick.
"I hate to ask," I said, "But what exactly did Sharon say to you?"
"She asked me what I thought of you," Nick said, "And then she asked if there was any way that I would ask you out."
"Oh gosh," I said, "That's just like Sharon to ask that kind of questions. What did you tell her?"
Nick took a deep breath. "I told her that I like you," he said quickly, "But, I can't ask you out right now because there are some problems I'm having in my life."
It took me a minute to catch up to what he said. "What?" I asked.
"I'm sorry," said Nick, "There are just things in my life that prevent me from asking you out."
"It's okay," I said, "I like you too, but if you don't want to go out, it's fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
"Come on," I said, "We should get back over there."
"Okay," said Nick.
We stood up and walked back over to the others. Kevin was taking his turn at pounding the mochi.
"Maybe this wearing a black shirt wasn't such a good idea," said Howie, walking towards us, dusting the mochiko flour off his shirt.
I laughed. "I warned you," I told him.
"Very funny," Howie said.We didn't finish until almost six that night. Nick, the other guys, and I helped clean everything up. Sharon had long since left to go and spend some time with her boyfriend, Jeff.
"So what's tomorrow's plans?" Kevin asked, as we finished sweeping the garage.
"I don't know," I said, "What do you guys want to do?"
"Let's go to the beach again," said Brian.
"I'm tired of the beach," said Kevin, "Let's go do something else."
"Like what?" Nick asked.
"I don't know," Kevin said, "Something else."
Then it hit me. "We can go buy fireworks tomorrow," I suggested.
"Yeah!" said Nick.
The other guys were in agreement too.
"Okay," I said, "We'll pick you guys up at ten?"
"Yeah," said Kevin.
The other guys left soon and Nick, Brian, and I went upstairs.
I was sitting in my room checking my E-mail when the phone rang. I reached over and picked up the reciever. "Hello?" I asked.
"Hi," came Kim's voice, "Guess what I just found out."
"What?" I asked.
"My parents want to go to Honokaa tomorrow and I have to go with them."
"Only for the day, right?" I asked.
"No," said Kim, "Overnight."
"But I thought you were going to spend New Year's Eve here," I said.
"That's what I thought too," Kim said, "But I told you my parents don't care about what I want."
"Well," I said, "Call me around midnight, then, and you can talk to all of the guys."
"Okay," said Kim, "Tell them I'm sorry I can't make it tomorrow night."
"Okay," I said, "I will."
We got off the phone and I went to tell Nick and Brian.
I found Nick lying on the floor in their room playing video games. He didn't have his shirt on. (HELLO!)
"Hey," I said, sitting down next to him.
"Oh, hey!" Nick said, scrambling up and grabbing a shirt.
"You don't have to be shy," I said.
"I'm not," said Nick, pulling the shirt over his head, "You just surprised me, that's all."
"Uh huh," I said, "Like I believe that."
I told him about what had happened to Kim and he thought it was pretty mean of her parents. Then I went to go and find my parents.
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